A PET owner has less than 28 days to appeal a Brimbank City Council decision to have her dog destroyed.
Council officers picked up Milo, believed to belong to an 11-year-old resident, wandering in the street last Tuesday 8 May.
Council animal management officers assessed the dog under the Department of Primary Industries standards on restricted breeds and found the animal, which was also unregistered, was a restricted breed.
In a statement to Star the council said a meeting with the owner was held on Friday 11 May at which the owner agreed to surrender the dog to be euthanised.
“Council understands it is hard for any pet owner to lose their dog and therefore has a cooling off period of approximately 48 hours should the owner change their mind about surrendering their dog,” the statement said.
“In this case the owner did change their mind and withdrew their surrender of the dog on Monday 14 May 2012.”
The council is now pursuing a formal declaration process to have Milo put down and will serve an official notice to the owner, who will have 28 days to appeal the decision.
In the meantime council’s Facebook page has been inundated with hundreds of comments from people calling on council to “save Milo”.
“The rest of the world has realised that breed bans do not work. When will our councils and governments wake up?” one user wrote.
Others have called on council to undertake DNA testing to prove Milo isn’t a dangerous breed and to “show compassion” for the young owner.
But others have applauded Brimbank Council for taking action.
“Please all owners take heed, it is your responsibility also to make sure your dog is registered,” a user commented.
“If you fail to do this you are as much to blame as these stupid laws if your dog is seized and euthanised.”
